03(a) Shri Chamatkaara Chandrikaa

The Meeting of Sri Krishna Disguised as a Female Doctor

athaikada sa jatila vivikte
cintatura kincid uvaca putrim
na rakshitum ha prabhavami krishnad
vadhum tatah kim karavany upayam

Sri Radha’s deep love for Sri Krishna was apparent by its numerous symptoms. As Jatila became aware of it, she became increasingly anxious. One day she called for her daughter Kutila and spoke to her privately. “Listen, my dear daughter, I am not able to protect Radha from that Krishna. What shall we do?

tvam putri! tasmad griha eva rundhi
vadhum bahir yati kadapi neyam
yatha yathayati harir na geham
tatha tatha ha bhava savadhana

“O Kutila, I have one solution. Somehow, we must prevent Radha from leaving the house for any reason, and at the same time, by any means, we must prevent that Krishna from entering our home. You must remain fully alert.”

matar bhavatya na vadhur niroddhum
sakya yatah pratyaham eva yatnat
vrajesvari bhojayitum sva-putram
pakartham etam nayati sva-geham

Upon hearing her mother’s words, Kutila replied, “Mother, it is not possible to check the movements of your daughter-in-law. How can we stop Her from leaving the house, when every day without fail, Vrajesvari Sri Yasoda summons Her to cook for her son?”

putri! tvam adya vraja tam vadaitan
natah param kvapi vadhuh sva-gehat
prayaty atas tvam suta-bhojanartham
pake niyuktam kuru rohinim tam

“Daughter,” Jatila answered, “go to Vrajesvari now, and tell her that starting from today, my daughter-in-law will not be leaving our house to go anywhere. Tell Vrajesvari that she can engage Rohini to cook for her son.”

matas taya vakshyata eva tasyai
durvasasa ko ’pi varo vitirnah
tvad-dhasta-pakkaudana-bhoktur ayuh
nirvighnam astv ity adhika prasiddhih

Kutila replied, “But Mother, Vrajesvari will surely say, ‘Sri Radha has been granted an extraordinary boon by Durvasa Muni. It is a blessing that words alone cannot describe. Everyone in Vraja-mandala knows that because of this boon, those who partake of Sri Radha’s cooking will live long and have all of their obstacles destroyed.’

ekah suto me bahu-dushta-danavadyarishtavattve
’pi kusaly-abhud yatah
tatas tvaya sadhita-modanadikam
nityam sutam bhojayitum prayatsyate

“Vrajesvari will then say, ‘Krishna is my only son. Eating the food cooked by Radha enables Him to remain safe and well and free from the obstacles created by wicked demons. That is why I try to ensure that daily He eats food cooked by Her hand.’ When she says that, what answer should I give?”

putri! tvaya vacyam idam para-svah
svo va sa agatya munih pradadyat
radha sprised yam sa cirayur astv
ity evam varam ced ayi tarhi kim syat

“O daughter,” said Jatila, “you should say to Vrajesvari, ‘And what if the best of sages comes along tomorrow, or the day after, and blesses Radha that whomever She touches will have a long life? Then what will happen? Tell me that!

kim sparsayanti nija-putram etam
akarayishyasy ayi niti-vijne!
kulangana yat para-vesma gatva
nityam paced ity api kim nu nitih

“O Vrajesvari, who are learned in ethics, will you then call Radha to your home and have Her touch your son? And another thing: what kind of moral code states that any well-bred girl may daily go to another man’s house to cook for him?

vadhvah kalankah pratidesam esha
bhuyan abhud yat kim u sahyam etat
sneho yatha te nija-putra evam
sneho mamapy asti nija snushayam

‘My daughter-in-law’s ill repute has spread throughout Vraja. How can I tolerate that? Don’t I have as much affection for my daughter-in law as you have for your son?’

tathapi te praudhir iyam bhavec ced
dhanishthaya preshitayaiva nityam
vadhu-kritam modaka-laddukadi
tri-sandhyam evanaya putra-hetoh

“You should then say, ‘So now you have heard my reasons for not sending my daughter-in-law to your house. If you remain determined to feed your son with food that Radha has cooked, then send Dhanishtha to my house three times a day to fetch modaka, laddu and other sweets that She has made for Him.’

ity evam ukte ’pi yadi vrajesa
kupyet tada tan-nagarim vihaya
kritvaiva desantara eva vasam
vadhum avishyami tadiya-putrat

evam nirodhe sati tau vishannau
parasparadarsana-dava-tapitau
babhuvatur hanta! yatha tatha svayam
sarasvati varnayitum kshameta kim

“Explain everything to Vrajesvari. If she becomes infuriated, we will leave her town and move elsewhere. I will do anything to save my daughter-in-law from that licentious son of hers.”

After this discussion, Jatila and Kutila confined Sri Radha to the house so as to thwart any chance of Her meeting with Sri Krishna. Alas, not even Sarasvati, the goddess of speech and learning, could describe the sorrow of the young Couple, who were consumed by the forest fire of not being able to see each other.

saroja-patrair vidhu-gandha-sarapanka-
praliptai racitapi sayya
radhanga-samsparsanatah kshanena
ha hanta ha murmuratam prapede

To extinguish Sri Radha’s burning fire of separation from Sri Krishna, the sakhis made Her a cooling bed of lotus petals smeared with a paste of camphor and sandalwood. However, when Sri Radha touched that bed, the petals instantly withered and dried with the heat of Her fevered body.

ninded vidhim pakshma-kritam bhrisam ya
vanched apakshmottama-mina-janma
nandatmajalokamrite katham sa
yamashtakam yapayitum kshameta

navekshate napi srinoti kincid
acetana sidati pushpa-talpe
dhanishthayathaitya tathavidha sa
vrajesvari-preshitaya vyaloki

How will Sri Radha be able to pass twenty-four hours without seeing Sri Nanda-nandana? She cannot tolerate even those brief moments when Her eyelids blink and Her vision of Him is obstructed.  She condemns Brahma, the creator, for creating eyelids, and prays to be born as a fish with eyes that never close.

Sri Radha fell unconscious on the bed of flowers, unable to see or hear anything. When, on Vrajesvari’s order, Danishtha arrived there, she saw Sri Radha’s condition of burning in separation from Sri Krishna.

adya prabhate lalite papaca
sri-rohini krishna-krite yad annam
tat prasya so ’gada vipinam vrajesa
mam prahinod atra vishanna-cetah

“O Lalita,” Dhanishtha said, “Sri Radha did not come to cook for Sri Krishna this morning, so Sri Rohini cooked for Him instead. After He had eaten His breakfast, He went out to graze the cows. Vrajesvari could see that Krishna had not eaten with the same relish that He usually does, so she became extremely sad at heart and sent me here.

sayam rajanyam api yat tatha svah
sa bhokshyate tasya krite ’ham agam
iyan tu samjna-rahitaiva paktum
katham kshametadya karomi ha kim

“I have come to get modaka and other preparations for Sri Krishna to eat tonight and also tomorrow morning before He takes the cows out to graze. But, alas, how can Sri Radha possibly make sweets in this unconscious condition? Oh, dear, what will I do now?”

krishnah puras te kalayeti tad-vak
tam bhagna-murccham akarod yadaiva
tada dhanishtha sahasa vrajesasandishtam
aha sma saroruhakshim

kataha matranaya rupa-manjari!
pralipya cullim iha vahnim arpaya
yatha vrajesadisad evam eva tat
krishnasya bhakshyam kila sadhayamy aham

Unable to see any other solution, Dhanishtha went over to Sri Radha and loudly spoke into Her ear, “O Radha, just look; Sri Krishna is standing right here before You!” As soon as these words entered Her ears, lotus-eyed Sri Radha regained consciousness. Dhanishtha told Her that Vrajesvari had sent her to ask Radha that She prepare modaka and other sweetmeats for Krishna.
 

Although Sri Radha was burning in the fire of separation from Krishna, as soon as She heard Vrajesvari’s request from the lips of Dhanishtha, abundant strength suddenly entered Her body. “Rupamanjari,” She said, “quickly prepare the stove and kindle a fire in it. Bring the small pan, and I will make all the preparations that Vrajesvari desires for Sri Krishna.

karomi yavat sakhi! nityam etac
catur-gunam kurva iti bruvana
culli-tate divya-catushkikayam
radhopavesam sahasa cakara

“Sakhi, today I will make four times the amount of modaka and other foodstuffs that I usually make. Do not worry in the least for My health.” With these words, Sri Radha promptly sat down on a splendid seat by the stove.

yat-sparsanat pankaja-patra-sayya
yayau kshanan murmuratam tadeva
pakvanna-karmany analarcishaiva
radha-vapuh sitalatam prapede

How amazing! A moment earlier Sri Radha’s bed of lotus petals had withered and dried with Her burning touch, but now, as She makes sweets for Her beloved, the flames of the stove cool Her body.

premottamo ’tarkya-vicitra-dhama
yato janam tapayate sasankah
vahnih punah sitalayaty atas tam
tad-asrayam va kim u ko ’pi vetti

The uppermost realm of prema possesses amazing and inconceivable potency, in which the cooling moon can radiate scorching heat and fire can cool. How can anyone ever understand such prema? And how can one who has taken the shelter of such prema ever be understood?

jagada kincil lalita dhanishthe!
vidyud-ghanavagraha esha bhuyan
samam kim eshyaty adhuna sakhinam
ananda-sasyani vinasam iyuh

Sri Lalita then said, “O Dhanishtha! Will abundant rain not fall from the lightening-filled cloud? Will the fresh new rain cloud [Sri Krishna], inlaid with the creeper of lightning [Sri Radha], appear no more? If this rain cloud does not appear, there will be no shower of rasa, and the sakhis’ harvest of ecstatic bliss will wither and be utterly destroyed.”

bravishi satyam lalite vayasyaih
saha svayam sidati so ’pi krishnah
vrindavana-sthah suka-keki-bhringa
mrigadayo’py akulatam avapuh

“You are speaking the truth,” Dhanishtha replied. “Sri Krishna and His sakhas are suffering the same distress as you sakhis of Sri Radha. What more can I say? Even the deer, peacocks, parrots, bumble-bees and other creatures of Vrindavana are afflicted by this great distress.”

tatas ca radha lalitadi karne
kancit katham procya yayau griham sa
sayam visakha jatilam upetyalikam
rurodadhidharam lunthanti

ha kim visakhe! kim u rodishi tvam
radham dadamsahir alakshya-rupah
katham kva va koli-tale tadiyaratne
grihite nija-ratna-buddhaya

When Sri Radha had finished making the sweets, She gave them to Dhanishtha. Dhanishtha whispered something into the ears of Sri Radha, Lalita and the other sakhis, and then returned to the house of Nanda Maharaja.

That evening Visakha went to Jatila and before her, made a show of wailing in grief and rolling about on the ground. Seeing her in such a state, Jatila asked, “Visakha, why are you crying?”

Visakha answered: “Sri Radha has been bitten by a black snake. She did not see it,”

Visakha answered through her tears. Notably perturbed, Jatila asked, “Where did it happen? How did it bite Her?”

“The snake was hiding under the badri-tree,” sobbed Visakha.  “Sri Radha mistook the jewel on its head for one of Her own. As She reached to take the jewel, the serpent bit Her on the hand.”

ha murdhni ko ’yam mama vajra-pata
iti bruvana tvaraya yayau sa
vilokya radham bhuvi vepamanam
tatada soccaih svam urah karabhyam

“Oh, no! Woe is me!” Jatila lamented. “A thunderbolt has struck my head.” Sobbing, she rushed to Sri Radha’s chamber where Radha lay trembling on the ground. When Jatila saw her daughter-in-law in this state, she wailed loudly and pounded her breast with both hands in anguish.

gavam grihad anaya putri! tavat
sva-bhrataram sighram itah prayatu
sa mantrikan anayatu prakrishtams
te me vadhum nirvishayan tu mantraih

Jatila called out to Kutila, “Quickly, my daughter, run to the cowshed.  Tell your brother to bring a person who knows the art of removing snake-venom by mantra. He can remove the poison from my daughter-in-law.”

ity evam uktva jarati jagada
snushe tanuh samprati kidrisi te
sandahyamanam visha-vahninenam
avaimi vaktum prabhavami narye

mantraih karabhyam mama mantrikas
ced ekam padasyangulikam apiha
spriset tadasun sahasa tyajami
kulanganaya niyamo mamaishah

Jatila then asked Sri Radha, “Daughter-in-law, how are You feeling now?”

“O Mother-in-law,” Sri Radha replied, “all I know is that My body is burning with the poison. I do not know more than that and I cannot say more than that. But, if any male who is learned in mantras touches even one toe on My foot, I will immediately leave this body. I am a chaste wife and My vow of chastity is firm.”

snushe! kim evam vadasiha bhakshayed
abhakshyam asprisyam api sprisen narah
mantraushadhadau na hi dushanam bhaved
apad-gatasyeti vidam sruti-smriti

“My dear daughter-in-law, do not speak like that. In an emergency, a virtuous person may eat something that is ordinarily forbidden or touch something he normally would not touch. When danger threatens, there is no fault in using mantras or other remedies. This is the prescription of those learned in the scriptures.”

ajnam tavemam na hi palayami
pranan pura-sthe kalaya tyajami
srutveti vadhva vacanam sa-cintam
jagada kacit prativasini tam

yah kaliyaghadi-bhujanga-marddi
drishtyaiva tah pita-vishodaka gah
ajivayat tam harim anayarye!
sa te vadhum nirvishayed vilokya

Sri Radha replied, “Please listen to Me. I will give up My life right now, before your very eyes. I am unable to obey your order under any circumstance.” When Jatila heard this from her daughter-in-law, she became filled with excessive anxiety.

Just then a neighbor came and advised her, “Dear noble lady, you should call Sri Hari. It was He who subdued the powerful poisonous serpents, Kaliya and Agha. And with a mere glance He brought back to life the cows that had died from drinking Kaliya-hrada’s poisoned water. He can remove the poison just by glancing upon your daughter-in-law.”

radhabravid yat parivada-pidam
vishanalad apy adhikam avaimi
tam eva ya darsayitum yatante
ta vairinir eva cirena vedmi

Overhearing this, Sri Radha said, “The pain caused by the false accusations I have suffered regarding that Krishna is far more painful than this burning poison. Anyone who tries to have Him come anywhere near Me is My lifelong enemy.”

tarhi snushe ’ham sa-suta prayami
tam paurnamasim drutam anayami
tan-mantra-tantragama-sastra-vijna
sa susthayishyaty alam anya-yuktya

“Listen,” Jatila told Sri Radha, “Kutila and I will quickly go to see Paurnamasi. She is well-versed in the tantric and agama scriptures, and knows excellent snake-mantras. She will come and cure You.  Now, You should not object to this.”

proce visakha tad alam vilambair
visham mayaruddham avaihi sutraih
yamarddha-paryantam atah parantu
siro ‘dhirudham tad asadhyam eva

Visakha said, “Noble lady that is an excellent idea. Please do not delay! Quickly go there. I will tie a string around Radha’s wrist to keep the poison from moving through Her body, but it will only work for an hour and a half. Once the poison reaches Her head, nothing will save Her.”

sa paurnamasyah sthalam abhyupetya
natva ’khilam vrittam avedayat tam
papraccha gargim atha paurnamashi
tvam sarpa-mantran pitur adhyagishthah

kim putri! sakhyan na hi vedmi kinca
kaniyasi me bhagini tu vetti
kva sa kim akhya kila kin nivasa
kasi-purat sa svasurasya gehat

pitur griham vrishni-pure gata ’bhut
tato ’pi mam atra didrikshamana
purvve dyur evagamad asti namna
vidyavalir mad-griha-madhya eva

Jatila immediately went to Paurnamasi, paid her respects, and told her everything that had happened. Paurnamasi turned to Gargacarya’s daughter, Gargi, and asked, “O my daughter, have you learnt the art of reciting snake-mantras from your father?”
 

“No, I have not,” Gargi replied, “but my younger sister has.” “What is your sister’s name?” asked Paurnamasi. “Where does she live, and where is she right now?”
 

“Her name is Vidyavali ,” replied Gargi. “She lives with her husband’s family in Kasipura. At the moment she is visiting our parents’ home in Mathura, and she came to visit me here yesterday. It just so happens that she is in my house right now.”

jaraty athoce bahu-viklavasrusiktanana
gargi! nata’smy aham tvam
tam anayasmad bhavanam sa-putram
kriinihi mam sviya-kripamritena

When old Jatila heard this, she turned her tear-soaked face to Gargi and anxiously said, “O Gargi, I fall at your feet. Please come to our house with your sister, and purchase me and my son with the charity of your nectarean mercy.”

gargi! tvam adau sva-griham prayahi
tatah sa-kanya jatila prayatu
prasadya tam anayatam tatah sa
radham dhruvam nirvishayishyate drak

“Gargi,” said Paurnamasi, “first, you go home, and later, Jatila and Kutila will go there. If they are able to please Vidyavali and take Her to their house, Radhika will immediately be freed from the effect of the poison.”

purvvam dhanishtha-vacasaiva gargi
stri-vesinam krishnam agara-madhye
asthapayat tarhi tu sa jaratya
sahaiva tat-parsva-gata jagada

Earlier that day, Dhanishtha had told Gargi to dress up Sri Krishna as a beautiful young girl. Gargi had already done so and had taken Him to her house, so she did not see any necessity to go there before Jatila. Accordingly, they all went together to the house, where Gargi addressed Sri Krishna, who was disguised as a beautiful young girl.

vidyavale! bho bhagini! vraje ’smin
ya nitya-rajad-guna-rupa-kirttih
tvaya sruta sri-vrishabhanu-putri
tasya vipattim arhati batadya

kenapi dashta mani-dharina sa
sarpena halahala-purita ’bhut
svasrur amushyah sa-suta prapanna
tvam tat tvam etad bhavanam jihithah

“Sister Vidyavali, You have heard the name of Sri Vrishabhanu-nandini. She is famous throughout Vraja and She is endowed with all good qualities.

Today, a great calamity has befallen Her. She has been bitten by a jeweled serpent and now Her body is filled with its poison. That is why Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, Kutila, have come to see You. You should go with them to their house at once.”

vidyavalih praha bhaginy ayi tvam
vijnapya vijneva giram tanoshi
kulangana vipra-vadhur aham kim
bhavan-mate jangaliki bhavami

“O sister,” replied Vidyavali, “you are learned, and yet you speak like an ignorant person. Alas, alas, I am a chaste and pure girl, and also the wife of a brahmana, but according to you, I am knowledgeable in the uncivilized art of snake charming.

pituh kulam vrishni-pure ’sti patyuh
kulan tu kasyam prathitam nri-loke
kalanka-pankena nimajjayanti
mam tvam katham snihyasi tan na budhye

“Please listen to Me. My father’s family in Mathura is renowned, and My husband’s illustrious family is pre-eminent in Kasi. Who in this world has not heard of these two families? I cannot understand how you can cast such noble lineages into the mud of infamy. Is this how you show your affection?”

jaraty av o cet tava pada-padme
nata ’smi sanjivya vadhum madiyam
mam tvam sa-putram nija-pada-dhulikritam
vidhehity atha kim bravimi

Old Jatila then addressed Vidyavali, saying, “I pay my respects at Your feet. If You restore my daughter-in-law to health, You will purchase me and my son with the dust of Your feet. What more can I say?”

vidyavalih prakhyad ayi vraja-sthe
janasi na brahma-kulasya ritim
griham griham gopya iva bhramanti
na vipra-vadhvah su-mahabhijatyat

provaca gargi srinu bho sruti-smritiproktam
nishiddham vihitan ca yad bhavet
jnatvapi tat sarvam idam bravishi
na te ’sti drishtih kila paramarthiki

“Old woman of Vraja,” replied Vidyavali, “you are not aware of the tradition of our brahmana family. Wives of brahmanas do not wander from house to house like common cowherd girls, because of the nobility of their exalted family lineage.”

Thereupon Gargi told Vidyavali, “Sister, You are well-versed in the standards and prohibitions given in sruti and smriti scriptures, yet You put forward opinions about caste and family. This shows You have no transcendental vision.

vraje sthitah kirtti-dayanvita ya
gopyas tatha ye vrishabhanu-tulyah
gopa na tesham tvam avaishi tattvam
napy abhijatyam na ca vishnu-bhaktim

“And listen to me, the gopis of Vraja are endowed with highly respectable qualities, such as fame and compassion, and the gopas are equal to Vrishabhanu Maharaja. You do not understand anything about their real nature, their family lineage and their devotion to Lord Vishnu.

Will be continued....

Nityananda Gauranga Hare Krishna!

 

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